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COL Anne McClain

@AstroAnnimal • 127,951 subscribers

Astronaut, Army Helicopter Test Pilot. Commander, Crew-10. FE, Soyuz MS-11. International Space Station Exp. 58-59, 72-73. IG @astro_annimal

Shorts

How do we take group photos in space? We cannot ask a passerby for help, so we set up a camera to take a photo every 5 seconds, get in position, then stop to smile at the camera. Looks a little chaotic, but it works!

How do we take group photos in space? We cannot ask a passerby for help, so we set up a camera to take a photo every 5 seconds, get in position, then stop to smile at the camera. Looks a little chaotic, but it works!

111,470 views

From International Space Station, we have a unique vantage point to observe lightning storms from directly above them. Much like from the ground, they appear as rapid, intense flashes that are over as quickly as they started. But, with the help of handheld cameras and a bit of practice (and, admittedly, some luck), we can capture these intense flashes with a very high frame rate then slow them down to see how the lightning propagates. It's lightning, in slow motion. This is one that occurred over Indonesia on 6/28. I shot it for a half second at 1/120 frame rate, so, 60 separate frames. I then compiled those frames into two videos: the first, in real-time, and the second, slowed down so that each frame is a half second to highlight the progression of the flash. Note the incredible burst of light in one frame, which includes what is likely a TLE on the upper left. A TLE, or Transient Luminous Event, is an electrical discharge that happens in the upper atmosphere above lightning storms (if you haven’t seen Nichole “Vapor” Ayers TLE photo from last week, head over to her page). As their name implies, these are transient, or short lived, phenomena – it appeared in only one frame of the sequence, lasting for no more than 1/120th of a second. The last photo is that single frame. Absolutely incredible.

From International Space Station, we have a unique vantage point to observe lightning storms from directly above them. Much like from the ground, they appear as rapid, intense flashes that are over as quickly as they started. But, with the help of handheld cameras and a bit of practice (and, admittedly, some luck), we can capture these intense flashes with a very high frame rate then slow them down to see how the lightning propagates. It's lightning, in slow motion. This is one that occurred over Indonesia on 6/28. I shot it for a half second at 1/120 frame rate, so, 60 separate frames. I then compiled those frames into two videos: the first, in real-time, and the second, slowed down so that each frame is a half second to highlight the progression of the flash. Note the incredible burst of light in one frame, which includes what is likely a TLE on the upper left. A TLE, or Transient Luminous Event, is an electrical discharge that happens in the upper atmosphere above lightning storms (if you haven’t seen Nichole “Vapor” Ayers TLE photo from last week, head over to her page). As their name implies, these are transient, or short lived, phenomena – it appeared in only one frame of the sequence, lasting for no more than 1/120th of a second. The last photo is that single frame. Absolutely incredible.

77,215 views

How will astronauts perform on the martian surface after a long trip through microgravity? We @NASA_Johnson are finding out. I ran suited tests for baseline data before flight, then will redo tests within a few days of landing from International Space Station later this year.

How will astronauts perform on the martian surface after a long trip through microgravity? We @NASA_Johnson are finding out. I ran suited tests for baseline data before flight, then will redo tests within a few days of landing from International Space Station later this year.

40,904 views

Conducting an EVA is a complex operation that requires months of planning, choreographed technical checkouts, individual and group preparation, and distinct checkpoints. In the NASA world, we call this the “road to EVA,” or around here, simply “road to.” One of the events on the “road to” is the on-orbit fitcheck. Did you know we can grow up to 2 inches in space? While that is a pretty cool space fact, it's also a pretty big pain if you are the one responsible for ensuring the suits fit. So, after we have had some time on orbit to grow, we get in our suits and make any needed adjustments. We also take the time to translate around, check out the airlock, and handle tools and tethers – in this video, you will see us crawling around inside. While it is as fun as it looks, it's an important check to ensure we will not encounter issues when we crawl around outside. This is also a big day for our IVs, the two astronauts who will get us suited up. Their job is intense, as they run multiple procedures, all of which must be done perfectly and on time. 大西卓哉（JAXA宇宙飛行士）Takuya Onishi is our suit IV for the upcoming EVA – he is like our quarterback in the airlock. He tells us when to arrive, and what to do next. Unlike other activities on Space Station, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I will not be looking at procedures inside the airlock or even when we are outside. We rely on Tak to get us out the door, where we will transition to talking to Marcos Berríos in Mission Control during the EVA. Things to look for in the video: Tak and Jonny Kim double checking one another, Nichole and I seeing if we can reach to fist bump, and Don Pettit making an appearance for some group photos.

Conducting an EVA is a complex operation that requires months of planning, choreographed technical checkouts, individual and group preparation, and distinct checkpoints. In the NASA world, we call this the “road to EVA,” or around here, simply “road to.” One of the events on the “road to” is the on-orbit fitcheck. Did you know we can grow up to 2 inches in space? While that is a pretty cool space fact, it's also a pretty big pain if you are the one responsible for ensuring the suits fit. So, after we have had some time on orbit to grow, we get in our suits and make any needed adjustments. We also take the time to translate around, check out the airlock, and handle tools and tethers – in this video, you will see us crawling around inside. While it is as fun as it looks, it's an important check to ensure we will not encounter issues when we crawl around outside. This is also a big day for our IVs, the two astronauts who will get us suited up. Their job is intense, as they run multiple procedures, all of which must be done perfectly and on time. 大西卓哉（JAXA宇宙飛行士）Takuya Onishi is our suit IV for the upcoming EVA – he is like our quarterback in the airlock. He tells us when to arrive, and what to do next. Unlike other activities on Space Station, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I will not be looking at procedures inside the airlock or even when we are outside. We rely on Tak to get us out the door, where we will transition to talking to Marcos Berríos in Mission Control during the EVA. Things to look for in the video: Tak and Jonny Kim double checking one another, Nichole and I seeing if we can reach to fist bump, and Don Pettit making an appearance for some group photos.

26,045 views

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A nighttime pass over the Eastern and Southern United States. I was astounded at the scale of recent thunderstorms … some of these flashes are as large as cities!

A nighttime pass over the Eastern and Southern United States. I was astounded at the scale of recent thunderstorms … some of these flashes are as large as cities!

COL Anne McClain

526,070 views • 1 year ago

From International Space Station, we have a unique vantage point to observe lightning storms from directly above them. Much like from the ground, they appear as rapid, intense flashes that are over as quickly as they started. But, with the help of handheld cameras and a bit of practice (and, admittedly, some luck), we can capture these intense flashes with a very high frame rate then slow them down to see how the lightning propagates. It's lightning, in slow motion. This is one that occurred over Indonesia on 6/28. I shot it for a half second at 1/120 frame rate, so, 60 separate frames. I then compiled those frames into two videos: the first, in real-time, and the second, slowed down so that each frame is a half second to highlight the progression of the flash. Note the incredible burst of light in one frame, which includes what is likely a TLE on the upper left. A TLE, or Transient Luminous Event, is an electrical discharge that happens in the upper atmosphere above lightning storms (if you haven’t seen Nichole “Vapor” Ayers TLE photo from last week, head over to her page). As their name implies, these are transient, or short lived, phenomena – it appeared in only one frame of the sequence, lasting for no more than 1/120th of a second. The last photo is that single frame. Absolutely incredible.

From International Space Station, we have a unique vantage point to observe lightning storms from directly above them. Much like from the ground, they appear as rapid, intense flashes that are over as quickly as they started. But, with the help of handheld cameras and a bit of practice (and, admittedly, some luck), we can capture these intense flashes with a very high frame rate then slow them down to see how the lightning propagates. It's lightning, in slow motion. This is one that occurred over Indonesia on 6/28. I shot it for a half second at 1/120 frame rate, so, 60 separate frames. I then compiled those frames into two videos: the first, in real-time, and the second, slowed down so that each frame is a half second to highlight the progression of the flash. Note the incredible burst of light in one frame, which includes what is likely a TLE on the upper left. A TLE, or Transient Luminous Event, is an electrical discharge that happens in the upper atmosphere above lightning storms (if you haven’t seen Nichole “Vapor” Ayers TLE photo from last week, head over to her page). As their name implies, these are transient, or short lived, phenomena – it appeared in only one frame of the sequence, lasting for no more than 1/120th of a second. The last photo is that single frame. Absolutely incredible.

COL Anne McClain

77,215 views • 11 months ago

Farewell to International Space Station! This is truly a special place, special mission, and special team that makes it happen. It is a bittersweet departure today – I have a keen awareness that I may never be back here, and even if I was, it would be at a different time with a different crew. This chapter is over. Spaceflight has always been a life goal, and it has turned into a life-fulfilling endeavor – but not for the reasons I thought growing up. When I was young, I pictured the launch, the incredible ball of fire and the acceleration, the spacewalks (how could you not wonder what it’s like to be in that suit?), and I was fascinated by the shuttles, capsules, and stations. But as I complete this second mission living and working in space, what draws me to this job is the people. Experiences like this are amazing, but the relationships we build that make it possible are the “why.” Every day, this mission depends on people from all over the world, of different nationalities, races, religions, and cultures. It depends on government and commercial entities, it depends on all political parties, and it depends on commitment to an unchanged goal over many years and decades. It depends on people dedicated to being part of something bigger than themselves, whose names may never be known but who wake up every day to make the world a better place and to be part of something they will be proud to tell their grandkids about. History will look kindly upon them. Humans have always had a propensity to explore … across lands and oceans, up mountains, and into the sky. We as a species will never stop wondering what else is out there, and what it would be like to go. But then, in the words of TS Elliot, “…at the end of all our exploring, will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time.” Crew-10 is on its way home.

Farewell to International Space Station! This is truly a special place, special mission, and special team that makes it happen. It is a bittersweet departure today – I have a keen awareness that I may never be back here, and even if I was, it would be at a different time with a different crew. This chapter is over. Spaceflight has always been a life goal, and it has turned into a life-fulfilling endeavor – but not for the reasons I thought growing up. When I was young, I pictured the launch, the incredible ball of fire and the acceleration, the spacewalks (how could you not wonder what it’s like to be in that suit?), and I was fascinated by the shuttles, capsules, and stations. But as I complete this second mission living and working in space, what draws me to this job is the people. Experiences like this are amazing, but the relationships we build that make it possible are the “why.” Every day, this mission depends on people from all over the world, of different nationalities, races, religions, and cultures. It depends on government and commercial entities, it depends on all political parties, and it depends on commitment to an unchanged goal over many years and decades. It depends on people dedicated to being part of something bigger than themselves, whose names may never be known but who wake up every day to make the world a better place and to be part of something they will be proud to tell their grandkids about. History will look kindly upon them. Humans have always had a propensity to explore … across lands and oceans, up mountains, and into the sky. We as a species will never stop wondering what else is out there, and what it would be like to go. But then, in the words of TS Elliot, “…at the end of all our exploring, will be to arrive where we started, and know the place for the first time.” Crew-10 is on its way home.

COL Anne McClain

68,499 views • 10 months ago

So, when I took this aurora, at first I thought that my settings were not correct because the aurora appeared white. I thought maybe the ISO was off, or I picked the wrong lens. Turns out, what I thought was white is actually light pink, and this led me down a path of learning. Aurora colors are the result of solar particles (think: microscopic sun bullets) interacting with Earth’s magnetospheric electrons (think: a bunch of charged particles which act like a force field around Earth that protect us from direct hits from the sun bullets). When there is a strong solar storm, which is basically a grouping of solar particles headed in our direction, the magnetospheric electrons get bombarded. While they still do their job of protecting us, they get super energized and are accelerated toward our poles. These now high-velocity electrons then hit different gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, mainly oxygen and nitrogen. When this happens, the gas molecules get excited, jump to a different energy level, and emit light at different wavelengths when they return to their original state. The color of that wavelength depends on the collision impact, type of gas molecule, atmospheric density, and altitude. Green is the most common aurora color, and it occurs when the electrons hit oxygen molecules between 60-150 miles altitude. If the solar particles hit oxygen but at a higher altitude, above 150 miles, the resultant color is red. This only happens under intense solar storm activity because of the lower density of atomic oxygen at higher altitudes. At lower altitudes during these intense storms, below 60 miles, auroras can appear purple or blue due to electrons hitting nitrogen molecules or pink when they hit slightly higher nitrogen around 60 miles. Auroras can appear other colors due to mixing of these phenomena. Now when I watch this video, I am amazed by the color variations. This one was very pink-hued!

So, when I took this aurora, at first I thought that my settings were not correct because the aurora appeared white. I thought maybe the ISO was off, or I picked the wrong lens. Turns out, what I thought was white is actually light pink, and this led me down a path of learning. Aurora colors are the result of solar particles (think: microscopic sun bullets) interacting with Earth’s magnetospheric electrons (think: a bunch of charged particles which act like a force field around Earth that protect us from direct hits from the sun bullets). When there is a strong solar storm, which is basically a grouping of solar particles headed in our direction, the magnetospheric electrons get bombarded. While they still do their job of protecting us, they get super energized and are accelerated toward our poles. These now high-velocity electrons then hit different gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, mainly oxygen and nitrogen. When this happens, the gas molecules get excited, jump to a different energy level, and emit light at different wavelengths when they return to their original state. The color of that wavelength depends on the collision impact, type of gas molecule, atmospheric density, and altitude. Green is the most common aurora color, and it occurs when the electrons hit oxygen molecules between 60-150 miles altitude. If the solar particles hit oxygen but at a higher altitude, above 150 miles, the resultant color is red. This only happens under intense solar storm activity because of the lower density of atomic oxygen at higher altitudes. At lower altitudes during these intense storms, below 60 miles, auroras can appear purple or blue due to electrons hitting nitrogen molecules or pink when they hit slightly higher nitrogen around 60 miles. Auroras can appear other colors due to mixing of these phenomena. Now when I watch this video, I am amazed by the color variations. This one was very pink-hued!

COL Anne McClain

48,924 views • 1 year ago

Here is a little bit more about me, as I kick off my second mission to the International Space Station. What else would you like to hear about in the next few months?

Here is a little bit more about me, as I kick off my second mission to the International Space Station. What else would you like to hear about in the next few months?

COL Anne McClain

39,078 views • 1 year ago

This is what we call “running stowage.” Frank G. wanted to know how this works, so hopefully this helps! We stow the majority of our gear into Cargo Transfer Bags, or “CTBs,” which are cloth rectangular or square containers with zipper access. A 1.0 CTB is about 2 ft by 2 ft by 8 inches. Then we have 0.5 CTBs, which are half that, and 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and up to 10.0 CTBs as well. They each have a unique serial number, and their location and contents are tracked by our Inventory Management System. Here, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I are moving cargo from one location to another. She is using our electronic system to track what bags we move, while I am catching the bags and stowing them where they need to go. It wasn’t just a game of space-catch, though we did have some music playing and were having fun with it!

This is what we call “running stowage.” Frank G. wanted to know how this works, so hopefully this helps! We stow the majority of our gear into Cargo Transfer Bags, or “CTBs,” which are cloth rectangular or square containers with zipper access. A 1.0 CTB is about 2 ft by 2 ft by 8 inches. Then we have 0.5 CTBs, which are half that, and 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and up to 10.0 CTBs as well. They each have a unique serial number, and their location and contents are tracked by our Inventory Management System. Here, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I are moving cargo from one location to another. She is using our electronic system to track what bags we move, while I am catching the bags and stowing them where they need to go. It wasn’t just a game of space-catch, though we did have some music playing and were having fun with it!

COL Anne McClain

29,187 views • 1 year ago

Q&A with the crew, filmed during our first week aboard: What surprised you the most arriving, or returning, to the International Space Station?

Q&A with the crew, filmed during our first week aboard: What surprised you the most arriving, or returning, to the International Space Station?

COL Anne McClain

29,414 views • 1 year ago

In the coming days, I will share some photos and perspectives on the EVA last week. To start with, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I wanted to share our gratitude to the ground teams as a whole at the end of the EVA. Here is that clip and transcript. ---------- “Marcos, while we wait for these couple of minutes, from EV1 Anne, I'd just like to say thanks to my family and friends from Washington to Kansas City, from Naples to L.A. I also want to give a huge thanks to all the teams that made today safe and got the mission executed. Our prep team, Judd, Sandy, and Scott. Our execution team, Stephen, Bailey, Lucas, Faruq, Lauren, and the other Sandy. A good mission starts with a good plan. I want to also thank prior crew that have done this strut EVA. Kate, Victor, Aki, Thomas, Kayla, Raja, Josh, Frank, Koichi, and Nicole - we stand on the shoulders of giants, and there were so many lessons learned from your EVAs put into this one. For our suit IVs, Takuya and Jonny, absolutely flawless execution. Can't wait to see you in a minute, I hope you put dinner in. To the two voices I've been listening to, Nichole and Marcos, you two are phenomenal. These two, Nichole Ayers and Marcos Berrios, remember those names. They're going to be our future giants in this office, and they represent the best of us. And most of all, I want to thank our flight director, Diana Trujillo. Behind every major NASA accomplishment in space is a flight director who holds ultimate responsibility for the planning and safe execution. Diana, EVA 93 belongs to you. Human spaceflight is absolutely the ultimate achievement of our time. Whether you work on the ground or if you fly to space for six months or six minutes, this incredible legacy is yours. Thank you to everyone. And over to you, Nichole.” “Well said, Anne. I think that with this year being the 25th anniversary of human presence in space, it seems fitting that we're continuing to upgrade the ISS to preserve the life through 2030. We're honored to be a small part of a much larger team that facilitates the groundbreaking science that we perform here on the National Lab that is the International Space Station. What we accomplish and learn here not only furthers our efforts for the moon and onto Mars, but it informs how we do life on Earth. So huge thank you to the ground team that made this happen. Thank you to our friends and families for supporting us and getting us to this moment.”

In the coming days, I will share some photos and perspectives on the EVA last week. To start with, Nichole “Vapor” Ayers and I wanted to share our gratitude to the ground teams as a whole at the end of the EVA. Here is that clip and transcript. ---------- “Marcos, while we wait for these couple of minutes, from EV1 Anne, I'd just like to say thanks to my family and friends from Washington to Kansas City, from Naples to L.A. I also want to give a huge thanks to all the teams that made today safe and got the mission executed. Our prep team, Judd, Sandy, and Scott. Our execution team, Stephen, Bailey, Lucas, Faruq, Lauren, and the other Sandy. A good mission starts with a good plan. I want to also thank prior crew that have done this strut EVA. Kate, Victor, Aki, Thomas, Kayla, Raja, Josh, Frank, Koichi, and Nicole - we stand on the shoulders of giants, and there were so many lessons learned from your EVAs put into this one. For our suit IVs, Takuya and Jonny, absolutely flawless execution. Can't wait to see you in a minute, I hope you put dinner in. To the two voices I've been listening to, Nichole and Marcos, you two are phenomenal. These two, Nichole Ayers and Marcos Berrios, remember those names. They're going to be our future giants in this office, and they represent the best of us. And most of all, I want to thank our flight director, Diana Trujillo. Behind every major NASA accomplishment in space is a flight director who holds ultimate responsibility for the planning and safe execution. Diana, EVA 93 belongs to you. Human spaceflight is absolutely the ultimate achievement of our time. Whether you work on the ground or if you fly to space for six months or six minutes, this incredible legacy is yours. Thank you to everyone. And over to you, Nichole.” “Well said, Anne. I think that with this year being the 25th anniversary of human presence in space, it seems fitting that we're continuing to upgrade the ISS to preserve the life through 2030. We're honored to be a small part of a much larger team that facilitates the groundbreaking science that we perform here on the National Lab that is the International Space Station. What we accomplish and learn here not only furthers our efforts for the moon and onto Mars, but it informs how we do life on Earth. So huge thank you to the ground team that made this happen. Thank you to our friends and families for supporting us and getting us to this moment.”

COL Anne McClain

26,465 views • 1 year ago

Incredible storms over Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. While we see lightning somewhere on Earth every night pass, it’s not as common to see one this active.

Incredible storms over Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. While we see lightning somewhere on Earth every night pass, it’s not as common to see one this active.

COL Anne McClain

24,594 views • 1 year ago

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